Why Study?

by Oscar M. Baker (originally published October 1954)
      Just why should anyone study the Bible today? Is it not a little old and out of date for us? Cannot one live a Christian life by doing church work and being neighborly? Why the bother of Bible study? Nobody understands it anyhow!
      Not only are the laymen asking such questions as these today, but they are even asked from the pulpit with the implication that it is not necessary to believe the Bible. Many seem to think that social and political questions are more important than what the Bible may have to say to us.
      But we might ask the question; How can a man live pleasing to God and be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed if he does not know God? How can he please God if he does not know what God desires of him?
      Is just being a do-gooder pleasing to God? Can a child please its parents if it does the things it chooses to do and which it may think are the right thing to do?
      You know very well he cannot. He must not only know his parents, but must know their wishes and desires concerning him.
      The only way to get to know God is by the Word which He has written and in which He reveals Himself and His will. If we would please Him, we must know what it is that He wishes us to do. He has written it all in the Book for us to read. If we do else than what is written, then we are following man’s way and not God’s way.
      What a man might think to be good may be just an abomination in the sight of God. God says that His ways are not our ways. What we may think to be good may be the very thing that will frustrate the will of God. For instance, suppose that some rich lady with a bunch of pet charities should have come across the prodigal son and given him some new clothes and a pocketful of change; would he have returned to his father’s house?
      Even the rich young ruler who has kept the law from his youth up, lacked a little of coming up to the requirements.
      Now just suppose that you should go out on some job and without any instructions from headquarters you should begin to do what you thot was the right thing. How long would you last on the job?
     It is about time that we seek to know the Father and His will and quit all this social gospel foolishness!